Posted on 08/13/2008
The last two Mondays have been an exciting, and FREE, whirlwind of activity in Brooklyn's Wingate Field, as Erykah Badu, and then Jill Scott took the stage to perform as part of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. free concert series. (As you can see, summer ain't over yet!  There are a few shows left on the roster, including one featuring the legendary Miss Patti!) BK showed up in full force, as over ten thousand fans graced Wingate Field to watch both the lovely ladies sing their hearts out. Luckily, OKP resident writer Candace L. happened to catch Erykah's show, and you can read her insightful review below. We also had our dude Terrence Jennings there to capture the vibe at both shows with his camera, so see below (beneath the story) for his gorgeous photos.

ERYKAH BADU, Wingate Field, 08.04.08

There’s a weird tension developing between Erykah Badu and her fans. Not an uncomfortable or even hostile one, but no less palpable. It’s one that goes back to her head wrap days and continues now in her Diana Ross wig days. It’s as if more often than not, Badu finds herself alone on the launch pad, ready to shoot off to the next level, and her fans remain grounded, unwilling and unsure to join her on the journey. There she was last night at Wingate Field in Brooklyn before thousands for the Martin Luther King Jr. Concert Series, onstage in a flowing, plunging blue jumpsuit, literally beating her drum to a different tune, and her fans are screaming for “Tyrone.”

After starting an hour late, Badu went on to perform well over an hour, even after announcing she was being told to leave the stage. Two songs later (“Tyrone” and “Bag Lady”), she left the stage giving her fans wishes for a million smiles, hugs and kisses as Lil Wayne’s “A Milli” played her off. The set started off with the new material with a few flashes back to Baduizm and Mama’s Gun, “The Healer,” “On and On,” “…And On,” “Me” and “My People.” It was during “My People” that Erykah’s African drum made a special guest appearance as she spoke in a native tongue. People got quiet. It was strange to hear that it took so little for people to get antsy. Is it possible that in 2008, we’re still not ready for whatever our most trusted creative minds have to offer? One woman behind me said, “Still not as bad as Lauryn,” referring to Ms. Hill’s hyperactive set from last year’s concert in the same park. Badu then launched into a more electronic version of “Apple Tree” followed by “I Want You.”

Maybe that weirdness from the audience hit the stage for a moment because Badu declared the Brooklyn crowd must have come for church and went into “Other Side of the Game.” She knew her people because it turned into a straight up, hands in the air sing-along. As moving as the song is, her flautist tore stole the moment on that song. Is there some sort of Source Award for ‘Dopest Use of a Woodwind in Live Concert?’ Well there should be. Badu did an early good night after that song, which had the crowd ready to tear something up. But during the blackout, she went back to her beat machine and started playing “Danger.” “Love of My Life” followed which I don’t recall seeing her do live in a while and she freestyled herself back to a lo-fi version of “The Healer.”

After “Time’s A Wastin’,” Badu mentioned the documentary, “Fourth World War,” which influenced her as she made New Amerykah Part One with the same subtitle (it was directed by Rick Rowley, by the way, since I don’t think she ever got back to mentioning it). The documentary’s portrait of oppressed people around the world fighting back, particularly the Zapatistas in Mexico, moved her, considering that in-depth news coverage in the United States consists of ‘a rapist on the loose, a murderer on the loose, stuff blowing up and we’ll be back after these messages’ – fear and consumption. This led to the next single off the album, “Soldier,” which felt like a good and proper end of the show. It wasn’t. She finally gave the loyal ones who hung around past 10 p.m. what they wanted, “Tyrone” with a bluesy twist at the end. By then, people started clearing the field, no doubt trying to beat most of the crowd back to the 2 train. Then those familiar licks started to play and “Bag Lady” poured from the speakers. People started running back to the field as Erykah let the fans down front have their moment to shine as she picked people one by one to sing the “Oh-oh-oh” solo from the song with hilarious, ear-piercing results.

Ms. Hill never felt the need to acknowledge the distance between she and her fans at her own performance at Wingate last year. She didn’t verbalize the noticeable difference between the crowd’s expectations with what she was actually performing. Perhaps it is Badu’s humorous awareness of these different levels that allows her fans to not throw the ‘C’ word around so freely when talking about her artistic quirks. As she said toward the end of the show, she was not going to be intimidated by the Brooklyn “stare down.” She did “Tyrone” when she was good and ready (though I kind of hoped she wouldn’t just out of spite). At the end, it was all love and Badu’s loyal followers will no doubt be by her side the next time she takes into orbit.

- Candace L.

Erykah Badu @ Wingate Field 08.04.08


J ill Scott @ Wingate Field 08.11.08